Phototherapeutic and chemotherapeutic immunotherapy against tumors

Abstract

The present invention is directed to new methods, medicaments and pharmaceutical compositions and agents for improved cancer treatment that lower recurrence of the primary tumor by causing selective, acute destruction of tumor tissue and thereby exposing the immune system to large amounts of substantially non-denatured tumor material over a short period of time. This effectively vaccinates the host against tumor tissue, allowing the host's immune system to attack any residual tumor tissue, and thereby reduces the recurrence rate and metastasis to remote sites. In preferred embodiments, this enhancement is achieved through application of phototherapeutic or chemotherapeutic modalities that are capable of producing such an acute, necrotic effect on treated lesions without completely denaturing tumor antigens.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for enhancement of immune response in phototherapy for treatment of cancers and tumors, said method comprising the steps of: 
 administering a halogenated xanthene agent to a patient;    treating said cancers and tumors with phototherapy to cause selective necrosis of a portion of said cancers and tumors, while leaving tumor antigenic material present in said treated cancer and tumors in a substantially non-denatured state; and    thereby stimulating a potent anti-tumoral immune response by the body to effectively vaccinate the body against said cancers and tumors.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said phototherapy uses applied ionizing radiation.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said phototherapy uses applied non-ionizing radiation.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said halogenated xanthene is Rose Bengal.  
     
     
         5 . A method of enhancement of a human or animal's anti-tumor immunity by applying a phototherapeutic modality to produce an acute, necrotic effect on a treated tumor without completely denaturing tumor antigens present in said tumor.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said phototherapy uses applied ionizing radiation.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said phototherapy uses applied non-ionizing radiation.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said method includes administering a halogenated xanthene to said human or animal.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said halogenated xanthene is Rose Bengal.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said tumors contain naturally-occurring photosensitive agents.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said phototherapy utilizes thermal overload of said cancers and tumors to cause said selective necrosis of a portion of said cancers and tumors.  
     
     
         12 . A medicament comprising at least one halogenated xanthene as a primary active component, wherein said medicament is useful for enhancing immune response in phototherapeutic treatment of human and animal tissue cancers and tumors.  
     
     
         13 . The medicament of  claim 12  wherein said halogenated xanthene interacts with applied ionizing radiation.  
     
     
         14 . The medicament of  claim 12  wherein said halogenated xanthene interacts with applied non-ionizing radiation.  
     
     
         15 . The medicament of  claim 12  wherein said halogenated xanthene is Rose Bengal.  
     
     
         16 . Use of a halogenated xanthene in the preparation of a medicament for enhancement of phototherapeutic treatment of human and animal cancers or tumors.  
     
     
         17 . The use of  claim 16  wherein said phototherapeutic treatment uses applied ionizing radiation.  
     
     
         18 . The use of  claim 16  wherein said phototherapeutic treatment uses applied non-ionizing radiation.  
     
     
         19 . The use of  claim 16  wherein said halogenated xanthene is Rose Bengal.  
     
     
         20 . Use of a halogenated xanthene comprising: 
 administering a therapeutically effective amount of a halogenated xanthene into or proximate to a cancer or tumor for phototherapeutic treatment and enhancement of immune response to said cancer or tumor.    
     
     
         21 . The use of  claim 20  wherein said phototherapeutic treatment uses applied ionizing radiation.  
     
     
         22 . The use of  claim 20  wherein said phototherapeutic treatment uses applied non-ionizing radiation.  
     
     
         23 . The use of  claim 20  wherein said halogenated xanthene is Rose Bengal.  
     
     
         24 . A method for enhancement of immune response in chemotherapy for treatment of cancers and tumors, said method comprising the steps of: 
 administering a halogenated xanthene agent to a patient so as to produce selective necrosis of a portion of said cancers and tumors;    thereby stimulating a potent anti-tumoral immune response by the body to effectively vaccinate the body against said cancers and tumors.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said halogenated xanthene is Rose Bengal.  
     
     
         26 . A method of enhancement of a human or animal's anti-tumor immunity by applying a chemotherapeutic modality to produce an acute, necrotic effect on a treated tumor without completely denaturing tumor antigens present in said tumor.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein said method includes administering a halogenated xanthene to said human or animal.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein said halogenated xanthene is Rose Bengal.  
     
     
         29 . A medicament comprising at least one halogenated xanthene as a primary active component, wherein said medicament is useful for enhancing immune response in chemotherapeutic treatment of human and animal tissue cancers and tumors.  
     
     
         30 . The medicament of  claim 29  wherein said halogenated xanthene is Rose Bengal.  
     
     
         31 . Use of a halogenated xanthene in the preparation of a medicament for enhancement of chemotherapeutic treatment of human and animal cancers or tumors.  
     
     
         32 . The use of  claim 31  wherein said halogenated xanthene is Rose Bengal.  
     
     
         33 . Use of a halogenated xanthene comprising: 
 administering a therapeutically effective amount of a halogenated xanthene into or proximate to a cancer or tumor for chemotherapeutic treatment and enhancement of immune response to said cancer or tumor.    
     
     
         34 . The use of  claim 33  wherein said halogenated xanthene is Rose Bengal.